Commodities that consumers purchase fluctuate in price on a regular basis. The periodicity of these fluctuations depends heavily on a variety of factors, including supply and demand, or variables associated with the supply and demand. The severity of the effects of these price spikes on a given individual or entity is usually tied directly to the amount of the product consumed. Consequently, many individual consumers and businesses desire to financially protect themselves from potential increases in the price of a commodity to not only lower costs for themselves, but additionally to create greater budget certainty or predictability.